Another solid beer from a very reliable brewery - so far, I haven't met a Deschutes I didn't like. The pour leaves a big blast of foamy head that lingers. I didn't pick up anything amazing in the aroma, a bit of bread and caramel. The flavor is very malt forward, with far less hops than I anticipated. The malt and toffee sweetness blend very well. Overall, this is a very easy drinking beer - delightful, in fact!

This beer looks, smells, and tastes like your typical, solid, flagship red ale. A bit of a violent pour leads to a rather large head that retains very well and laces even better. The deep amber body of the beer translates in a very malty nose, with just a touch of balancing hops bitterness. The caramel malt in the scent is converted directly on to the palate for a solidly malty backbone of red ale flavor. Little to no hops bitterness balances the flavor of this beer, but that's ok because the semisweet, and just a touch peaty, malts are so delicious. This beer drinks very easily and smoothly on the whole.

Overall, I'm not sure what to say; this is your standard red ale from a very high quality brewery. Does this beer provide an instantly recognizable flavor or experience? No. But does this beer offer a solid flavor that is pretty delicious and easy to enjoy? Heck yes.

22oz bottle dated best before 02/10/15 (I just bought it today, so shame on me for not checking the date, and shame on BevMo for their low turnover). Served in a pint glass, beer darkens from amber to red to brown, with big soda bubbles rising towards a healthy tan head. Aroma is pretty unimpressive. Flavor is very nice though, if not the malt bomb I was hoping for. Super well balanced, as much like a German ale as an American (micro) amber. I don't get as much roastiness as the label lead me to believe, rather, toasted barley balances off unmalted barley. Both are way mild, and in turn balance off the relatively mild hopping. This beer is true neutral: if you order an ale, without any qualifiers, this is what the barman should hand you. The beer's total score doesn't do it justice because the execution and balance of this brew really are world-class.

22oz bottle, nice to see an amber ale from this outfit make it northwards, and I anticipate a still rather hoppy affair (that's called foreshadowing, ladies and germs), from my experience with this brewery thus far.

This beer pours a mostly clear, medium copper amber hue, with three fat fingers of puffy, loosely foamy, and generally bubbly ecru head, which leaves some streaky malformed lace around the glass as it very, very slowly abates, like it's on island time - I've been to Bend, and there are no islands in that particular bucolic river.

The bubbles are quite low-key and unobtrusive in their plain Jane frothiness, the body a sturdy medium weight, and generally smooth, with a nascent airy creaminess arising as it warms. It finishes on the sweet side, the now pastry-adjacent caramel malt showing little interest in waning, as it needs all its strength to fend off the surprisingly not so prevalent hops - psych!

A decent enough amber ale, the malt the star of the show here, with the fruity hops aiding and abetting, and even providing a tangible offset. Easy enough to put back, I suppose, but not something I could see having more than one or two of, before my predilection for Deschutes' more hoppy and heady offerings beckoned me with their siren call.

Interesting bomber, pours a brick-red, slightly hazy. Medium head with minimal head retention.

Aroma is of piney hops with just a hint of caramel in the background. Medium mouthfeel. First taste is citrus/pine, a little bitterness at the end with just a touch of caramel malt to keep it all in check.

Brown glass bomber purchased earlier tonight and served cold into a tulip at high altitude in Castle Rock, CO. Reviewed live as a red ale per the label Cost was $3.99 USD. Expectations are high given the brewery.

No bubble show forms as it's poured.

HEAD: Half finger wide head. Retention is nice - about 3-4 minutes. White colour. Decent creaminess, thickness, and fullness. Leaves no lacing on the sides of the glass as it recedes.

TASTE: Underwhelming. Predictably, amber malts dominate. There's a floral hop profile that fails to showcase the amarillo mentioned on the label. Has some caramel and toastiness, but ill enough to satisfy the conventions of the style.

Balanced? Not really. It takes a sharp left turn into red apple skin territory for no real reason, and the malt backbone is inadequate. More toastiness is needed. Average depth, duration and intensity of flavour.

I do like it for what it is, but there's no real subtlety, intricacy/complexity, or nuance to speak of. It doesn't even meet the conventions of the style, and obviously fails to exceed them. Meh.

TEXTURE: Smooth, lightly dry, a biteen cidery, crisp like fruit skin, overcarbonated, and annoyingly thin. Lacks sufficient body. Has an off barleywine-esque feel on the palate. Gushed. There's some creaminess. Needs to be more assertive overall.

OVERALL: Drinkable, sure, and passable at $3.99 a bottle. But it's far from a good red ale and I definitely wouldn't get it again - even though it features my favourite hop (amarillo). Hides its ABV nicely, but the quality just isn't there. I'm a bit surprised Deschutes released this.

Bomber snagged across the border in Montana poured into a tulip. Reddish caramel colored like weak tea, with a tall rocky peak of meringue-like resilient light beige head. Foam for miles. Aroma is equal parts caramel malts and citrus/tropical hops. There is much going on in this here red ale, bold hopping like many of the best American reds but an assertive rich toffee sweetness underneath, with hints of molasses, puffed wheat, and a cola-like brown spice. Hops go from tropical pineapple and guava to orange rind, baby aspirin, tree sap, and fresh grass with nary a bum note. Excellent Amarillo showcase. Reminds one of Rogue's best red ales but sweeter with a slightly greater depth of character, not to mention less piney (this features more of a tannic black tea vibe). Sturdy body, with a smooth and slick mouthfeel and a red IPA style hop-centric finish. The end is where the bitterness truly makes its presence known. Well-balanced, tangy, fruity, and redolent with brown sugar sweetness, yet dries the palate before all is said and done. One of my favorite Deschutes offerings to date.